Bottle carrier



N0V- 19, 1945- J. F. DE VILLARD BOTTLE CARRIER L fi lllll r Nov. 19, 1946.,

J. F. DE VILLARD BOTTLE CARRIER Filed Nov. 1e, :1940

2 Sheets-$heet 2 -ually pulled out of their Patented Nov. 19, 1946 BOTTLE CARRIER Jean F. De Villard, Chicago,

Ill., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Charles W. Stiefel, Jr.,

Chicago, Ill.

Application'November 16, 1940, Serial No.

1 Claim. (Cl. 224-45) This invention relates to a bottle carrier of the type disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 324,980, filed March 20, 1940, which involves a stamped sheet of blank cardboard, or cotton nbre with side braces cut therefrom.

These stamped blanks are sold and stored in sheet form and when it is desired to use one, it is folded into shape and the cut braces are manslots and directed outwardly. This operation involves time and labor; then sometimes the braces tend to spring back into their slots. Further, such carriers have not been sulciently reinforced in the past with the result that in carelessly handling the same when loaded, they might fracture and cause the bottle to drop upon the feet ofthe person carrying the load, and a damage suit would result.

My new form of bottle carrier constitutes a notable improvement upon the prior carriers in that the, braces are cut and creased in such a manner that they automatically rise and assume proper positions when the blank is folded into a bottle carrier, thereby eliminating the usual necessary manual operation.

Further the blank is reinforced in such a man-4 ner that it is not likely to tear and fracture and drop the contents when used in transporting a load.

In addition, the carrier is provided with interlocking parts to maintain the same in carrier form r after the blank has been folded up. Further the sides of the carrier are `provided with separate apertures which may be provided with flaps for receiving the necks of the bottles.

With these and other features in view, the

invention comprises the novel structure and comn bination of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out and defined in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred form of this invention and in which similar reference numerals refer to similar features in the different views:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a bottle carrier involving this invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken upon the line II-II of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing bottles in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken upon the line Ill-III of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View taken upon the line IV-IV of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View,y taken upon the line V--V of Fig. 3;

Fig, 6 is a fragmentary sectional view upon the line VI-VI of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the blank cut and creased and ready to be foldedup to form the carrier shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional `view through the blank illustrating in diagrammatic form the automatic elevation of the braces.

In referring now to the drawings which illustrate a preferred form of this invention, it will be noted with reference to Fig. 7 that the carrier is formed from a substantially rectangular blank l which may be made of any suitable desired length in accordance with the height of the bottles it is designed to support and which may be made of any suitable material such as Vcotton fibre.

Along each side of the blank I there is a rein-` forcing lip or ange 2 which is marked off from the main body of the blank by crease lines' 3. These reinforcing flanges terminate in bevelled ends 4 spaced inwardly short distances from the ends of the blank. The lips or flanges Zare severed at the points 5 for a purpose that willlater appear and they are provided with the V creases 6 a short distance beyond the cuts 5 for folding purposes during assembly. i

The bottom portion or base 'I of the carrier is defined upon the blank I as existing between the crease lines 8. Spaced inwardly a short distance from each crease line 3, there is a cut or incision 9 which extends across the base I of the blank and a short distance into the side portions I0. From the ends of each incision 9, there extend crease lines II which slope toward each other at angles of about 45 to the incision 9. These crease lines II extend from the incisions 9 to the crease line 3. It will be noted that the lips taken `2 are also creased Yin alignment with the crease lines 8 as indicated at I2. From the crease lines I2, there extend crease lines I 3 which slope slightly toward each other as they pass over the braces M which, it will be noted, are defined by the lines 3, 9 and Il.

These sloping crease lines I3, it will be noted, are inwardly offset from the bottom crease lines 8, and constitute offset breakers that are mainly instrumental in connection with the crease lines II to cause the braces I4 to automatically rise upon crease lines 3 as hinges when the blank is folded into a carrier. o

l At the upper ends of the parts I0 of the blank I that serve as the lower side portions of the carrier, there are spaced partially cut out strips I5. These strips I5 are so` cut out from the main `edges of the connectors yon the strips or connectors `is folded into carrier form,

the art.l is formed beneath the slot 3E) for receiving a cured to the reverse side 3 body of the blank, that their .sides are severed from the main body of the blank by the irregular cuts I6 and Il while the upper portions I8 and the lower portions I9 are not severed from the blank. The strips I are thus hinged at their upper and lower ends.

Between each =pair of strips or connectors I5 and at the lower ends thereof there is an incision 2l] which causes that portion between the strips I5 to become iiaps. The flap at one end is designated 2I, while the flap at the other end is` designated 2Ia. The flap 2| is formed with a loc-king slot 22 for receiving .a teat 2 Ib on the ap y2 l a to fasten the sides together.

Flaps 23 are also yformed adjacentY the outer I5 by incisions 24 and 25. The incisions 24 are in alignment with the incisions 2l! while the incisions 25 extend parallel to the crease lines 3 and spaced a short distance inwardly therefrom. The incisions 25 extend downwardly a short distance below the incision 24 and converging crease lines 26 extend therefrom to the crease lines 3 for folding purposes. One of the crease lines 26 upon each edge of the blank extends fromthe lower end of the incision 25.

' When the blank is folded up into carrier form as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the naps 2l and 23 form three apertures through which the bottles are adapted to be inserted Vinto the container. These apertures are clearly shown in Fig. 1 and are designated 21, 28, and 29; the carrier being designed in the present instance to carry siX bottles, three on` each side. The curved lobes I5@ I5 serve as bendable filler members for bearing against the upper portions of the bottles. Of course, when the blank 23 will move inwardly out of the plane ofr the blank and assume vertical positions as shown in Figs. l and 2.` Inthis operation, the teat 2lb can be inserted in the locking slot 22 to fasten the upper neck parts of the carrier together.

I VFor further fastening the upper parts of the carrier together, the handle aperture 30 is adapted to receive a locking flap or tongue 3I cut from the other side of the carrier as is well known in For further security, a second slot 32 tongue-33 cut from the opposite side of the carrier. vThus the upper parts of the carrier are adapted to be securely fastened together.

Y To complete the blank so that it is ready for use, the lips 2 are folded over upon the back or outer edge portions of the blank and portions glued thereto. rIt might be mentioned that the portions of the lips 2 above or beyond the upper creases 6 are secured or glued to the reverse Side cf theblank, and the parts between the incisionsv 5 and the creases I2 are also glued or seof the blank. The portions of the lips 2- between the incisions 5 and creases 6 are free. It will be noted that cuts 34 extend from the incisions 25 to the apices of the creases E whereby the portions 35 which are partially cut from the blank by the incisions 25 and 34 cooperate with the adjacent part'of the lip 2 to form a connection between the side portions IB andy the handle 'portions of the blank. At the same time, these connecting strips 35 form the outer walls of the bottle apertures 27 and 29, as shown in Fig. l. Due to the cuts 34 and the creases 26, the flaps 35 will fold upright when in use, as shown in Fig.Y 1.

In forming the blank into a carrier, the side the naps 2l, 2Ia and portions are folded up about the crease lines 8 as axes, the teat y2Ib is then inserted in the slot 22 and the tongues 3| and 33 are inserted respectively through the slots- 30 and 32 whereby the parts will take the positions shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the connecting strips I5 and 35 assuming substantially a horizontal position.

It is an important feature of vthis invention that when the side portions IIJ turn or bend upwardly with reference to the crease lines 8 as shown in Fig. 8, the braces I4 will be automatically elevated into substantially vertical positions as shown in Fig, 3. In their elevating movements, the braces I4 will turn upon the crease or border lines 3 as axes. For it will be evident 'that as the lower Side portions I0 are folded up, the braces I4 cannot fold upon the lines 8 but there will be a tendency to shorten them by the pressure at each end. Ordinarily this pressure would cause the same to bow in one or the other direction, but due to the offset breaker creases I3, the portion between such creases I3 will move toward theirV end of the carrier.

To make it a little plainer, it will be evident that as the crease lines il are brought closer together as the sides of the pressure exerted against the ends of ,the braces I4 will cause the braces I4 to spring up and outwardly due to the offsetcrease lines I3. In other words, the braces I4 Vrespond to the movements of the side portions I0 with respect to the bottom 1. When the sides are folded up the braces i4 pop up and outwardlyA and they recede when the sidesl arelowered. Thus, the movement of the sides controls the braces I4 and this automatic action of the braces I4 eliminates the tedious manual operations that were heretofore required in such carriers.

It will also be evident that the reinforcing lip or flange 2 greatly increases the strength ofthe carrier. The free portions of thev flanges 2 contiguous to or under the braces I4 also form the support for such braces and allow the same to be brought clear to the outer side edges of the carrier; and atv the same time, they prevent the anges I4 from flipping downward 'and'. assist in the upward flipping action thereof.

When the carrier is ready for loading, the' bottles can be placed, in the pockets one at atime or several can be simultaneously placed therein,s`o

the loading canbe expedited over certain carpatent granted otherwise than necessitated by` the prior art and appended claim. Y

I claim as my invention: i l In a bottle carrier formed from a blank made from cardboardor like material erected, a bottom wall, side walls joined along fold lines to opposite side edges of said bottom wall, bottle receiving sections joined along fold lines to the upper edges of the respective `side walls, a handle section joined along foldlines to the other edges of the two bottle receiving sections so as to project upwardly therefrom, bottle retaining end walls formed from the material of said bottom wall adjacent to the last rnentionedl fold lines, and bellows fold means joining opposite ends of said bottle retaining walls tothe opposite side walls to maintain said retaining walls in upright positions when said carrier is erected andl to effect erecting movementfof said the carrier are folded up,v

to afford, when retaining end Walls when in the course of erecagainst the outer faces of the Walls to which they tion of said carrier said side walls are bent upare joined, and the naps joined to said end walls wardly With relation to said bottom Wall, reenalfording supporting strips substantially in the forcing Iiaps joined along fold lines to the oppoplane of said bottom wall and supported in part side end edges of said side walls and to said re- 5 by said retaining end Walls when said retaining taining end walls, the flaps joined to said side end Walls are in their upright positions. Walls being folded .along said fold lines to lie flat JEAN F. DE VILLARD. 

